


Song of the Prime and the Seeker

by VicenteValtieri



Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [13]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: By killing his killer, Death, Drabbles, Grief, M/M, Mourning, Music, Playlist, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24875518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: Drabbles based around the random songs I keep on a massive playlist on my comp. I pick one out and write a drabble based around it. They'll probably be random and out of order, but there'll be an overarching plot....Maybe. It's me after all. Some things are just going to happen.Taking a cue from some of the other authors of drabbles, I will do my best to post a brief summary of each most recent drabble here, in the description.Chapter 11: Duel of the FatesChallenged to single combat, Optimus and Starscream take stock of the situation laid before them.
Relationships: Optimus Prime/Starscream, Orion Pax/Starscream
Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/714828
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Kick the Dust Up - Luke Bryan

Music was thundering over the plains outside of Iacon. Technically, the impromptu, massive raves started off seemingly at random weren’t illegal, but Sentinel was worried that the raves were covers for sedition and rebellious meetings, so Orion ended up there in a different, temporary paintjob.   
Some mech had the brilliant idea to spread what seemed to be several metric tons of glitterdust around and the gyrating bodies and feet were throwing it up into the air in clouds. Everyone was a little shimmery from it.   
It wasn't his usual kind of thing, if he was being honest. Yet here he was, and he wished he wasn't.

He passed by a hidden subwoofer and his audials were almost blown out when the music changed and the base dropped. He wished he could turn off his temperance chip, it might make things a little easier if he could fade into that haze of high grade everyone around him seemed to be high on. He made his way further towards the center to get away from the speakers.

So far the only rebellion he saw was young mechs rebelling against their creators, judging by some of the younger looking ones.

Several dancing praxians kicked a cloud of the glitterdust up into his face and Orion coughed briefly. Primus, he needed a drink.

The song changed, the beat going from frantic to deep and sensual. Most of the mechs left the dance floor to congregate around the engex dispensers or to grind, pressed up behind a speaker. Those who stayed out were mostly in couples, but there were a few dancing on their own. The swinging couples parted like the Jordan in a wave and Orion spotted him.

He had to be one of the most beautiful mechs Orion ever saw. Of course, everyone thought Seekers were beautiful – as beautiful as they were rare – but this one… Even by Seeker standards, he was lovely. Orion couldn’t help a long stare. 

Shimmering, red-gold optics met his own and Orion briefly froze. Something lazy and predatory filled those optics. The Seeker deliberately turned away from the dance floor and began making his way over towards the police officer. Stiffening, Orion considered trying to flee, but he neither wanted to look like a coward nor did he want to return to his aimless wandering through the rave. If any of his officers questioned what he was doing, he could always say the Seeker looked like one of the rabble rousers they were looking for. 

The Seeker reached Orion and cocked out a hip with one, light blue servo braced on it. “Well? Are you going to ask me to dance or just stare?”

Orion cracked a smile. “You seemed like you were managing fine on your own.” Nevertheless, he offered a servo. “I’m afraid I don’t dance as well.”

“Good thing it’s a slow song. I can go easy on you.” The Seeker accepted his servo and lightly pulled him back into the mass of mechs moving about. They reached the center together and the Seeker encouraged him to slide a servo to his shoulder and spin the elegant mech gently. 

Orion began to feel like a balancing block. The Seeker used whatever Orion did to cut flashy movements and show off the capabilities of his own sleek frame. The detective began to sense, however, that if he just let him lead, he’d become bored quickly. 

To that end, Orion took a risk and, the next time the Seeker was on the ground, threw out an arm to catch him around the waist and drag him in a circle, thrusters kicking the dust around them into a cloud that extended over their heads. The glitterdust covered Orion and he knew he’d be spending cycles discovering shimmering flakes in his seams. The Seeker was in no better shape – his vents hitching slightly at the unexpected movement.

Orion let a challenge fill his optics and saw the Seeker’s own challenging spirit rise in response. “Well, if that’s how it’s going to be…” The Seeker gripped his servo and threw himself back, pulling Orion along with him. Orion braced himself and pulled backwards, forcing Starscream’s motion into a flung-out spin. 

Shimmerdust flew around them from all sides, practically blinding Orion. The Seeker released Orion’s servo and he thought, briefly, that he was being left behind, but the dust parted just long enough for Orion to realize he was just catching his vents as the music changed again – becoming a similar, jazzed up, fast-paced beat to before. 

The challenge gleamed in the Seeker’s eyes. “Think you can keep up?” He leaned back slightly, wings flicking invitingly.

Orion revved his engine for effect and they dove back into the clouds of shimmering dust. Every move of their pedes kicked the dust up all around them.


	2. Darkside - Alan Walker

The rave slowly broke up. By then, Orion had received his dismissal and was thoroughly overcharged. Glitterdust was in every seam – it would never come out. His dance partner was a hot mess. Coolant poured over both of their plates. It was only a few klickcycles until sunrise… And he didn’t care. 

Starscream’s lipplates were parted – his vents panting and throwing more shimmering dust into the air with each one. The music was deeply sensual and erotic. Those remaining mechs were almost grinding together. “…Come with me a ways.” The Seeker pulled Orion’s servo towards the darkness outside the rave’s circle. “I want to show you something.”

Orion knew he shouldn’t. Knew he should turn around and go home. He didn’t know the Seeker. In the relative safety of the lights and noise of the rave, it was safe to pretend they did. That Starscream was more than an anonymous mech. If he left the circle of sound, they’d be alone. Different and dangerous to be.

But he couldn’t deny he wanted it. He let the Seeker urge him along, under a sky of stars so vibrant they reflected off of the patina of glitter all over Starscream. But Starscream wasn’t here to show him his namesake. He pulled Orion along towards a ridge, pointing ahead. “Follow me.” He gave a flirty smile and dropped Orion’s servo. His wings flared and twitched as he ran ahead into the night and leapt into the air, transforming into a sleek jet. Briefly, Orion was hypnotized by the shape against the stars, but didn’t allow himself to be frozen long. Starscream would not turn back for him if he became lost in the night. 

Orion tumbled into his alt-mode and burned rubber catching up with the Seeker. Starscream was faster than Orion, but going just slow enough to let him keep up. As they reached the ridge, Starscream dove down before a crevice, flicked his wings, and disappeared into it. 

Orion squeezed through after him, helm down. “Starscream?” The inside of the cavern echoed and he could hear liquid. He turned on his headlights and lit up a pool of deep, silver mercury. A naturally formed spring of it. Starscream rose up out of its center like a spirit from the pool. He was coated in the silver fluid and the glitterdust fell off in traces and trails, following the liquid. 

“Join me.” Starscream gave Orion a wicked smile over his shoulder. “And shut those overbrights off.”

Orion couldn’t believe he was about to comply. He flicked off the headlights and stepped forward, sliding into the pool with the Seeker. They bumped into each other in the dark and fumbled. Orion’s large servos fell on one of the Seeker’s vent fans and a shoulder vent respectively. Starscream got his servos hooked into Orion’s grille and held on, playing with the wires and equipment he could barely feel behind it. Orion gave a surprised rev and pulled Mercury through his vents. 

The cool liquid was relaxing and flushed out any remaining glitterdust as they sank into its depth. Orion felt for the bottom and found it was as deep as he was tall. Springfed, perhaps. A treasure for those who knew about it.

Lipplates were on his windshield, caressing the smooth glass, and a glossa soon followed. Orion’s spike twitched in its housing and his engine rumbled again – muted beneath the liquid – as he grabbed for Starscream and slipped his servos under the Seeker’s aft, squeezing his thick, well-paneled thighs appreciatively. 

“Naughty of you.” Starscream purred. His vents kicked up a disturbance in the mercury – each droplet that hit Orion was a different sensation. He couldn’t help the next rev as his panel popped and his spike bounced clumsily against Starscream’s still-shut panels. 

Starscream trailed his mouth down Orion’s neck and bit down on his shoulderplate as he ground down onto the convoy. His wings flicked and fluttered and he pushed Orion under the mercury pool. In the dark and the damp, they met each other and kissed until they desperately needed a breath. The pumps around their sparks synchronized briefly as they breached together. Starscream broke away from Orion’s face and he felt the intake on his cheekplate. Pushing back down, Orion pursued the feelings – the darkness, the warmth, and the Seeker above him.


	3. Hard to Love - Lee Brice

“Optimus, we have a problem.” Starscream tightly spoke across the comm. “Megatron has come up with a brilliant plan for how to draw his mole out.”

“He’s had ‘brilliant’ plans before.” Optimus didn’t miss the lack of sass and sarcasm in Starscream’s voice. The Seeker was genuinely worried this time. “What’s so different about this one?”

“It will work is what’s different.” Starscream laid the groundwork for the Convoy. “He intends to capture you and attempt to execute you. He reasons that the traitor will intervene and reveal themselves, thus killing two birds with one stone.”

“Megatron has always overestimated my value to the Autobot cause. Even if I were gone, Prowl and Jazz would continue to fight. As would you.” Optimus rumbled to himself, considering. “But if that is Megatron’s plan, then the solution is plain: I must not be captured.”

Starscream was silent for a long moment. “See that you aren’t.”

“Starscream.” Optimus considered the question he wanted to ask. “If I were captured. If Megatron’s ruse does succeed, what would you do?”

“What the frag kind of question is that?” Starscream asked, a definite note of aggravation coming into his voice. “I’d rescue you!” Before Optimus could reply, he continued on. “And if you’re about to tell me how unimportant you are and how much more valuable it is to have a thumb on Megatron’s plans – then shove it up your aft.” 

Optimus let himself remain silent until Starscream’s venting evened a little. “Starscream… Your position is of great tactical importance to the Autobots. Your information has saved lives, and foiled many of Megatron’s attacks.”

“And you led the charge in every instance. You are a symbol, Optimus. We can’t lose you. Don’t ask me for that.”

“Starscream… I have survived a great deal. If Megatron tries to kill me, there is no guarantee he will succeed – “

“You’ve survived because others help you, Optimus. Because we have your backplates.” Starscream sounded tired and exasperated. “Including me.” He huffed. “Sometimes, it’s very, very hard to love you, Optimus. When you say things like this… It makes me wonder where the Prime ends and the mech begins. Don’t you understand – without you, I might not be able to go on?”

Optimus sent love through their sparks, pulses of affection and warmth. “Starscream…”

“Don’t say anything more.” He could almost hear how tired his mate felt. “Don’t say anything just – I need you, Optimus. I need you. But sometimes, it’s so, so hard to be with you.”

Optimus wrapped the Seeker in the depth of his affection. He sent twinges of apology – kisses of psychic energy in the gorgeous vista they created together. He could never be anything except himself. But he could feel his mate’s spark weighed down with dread – Megatron’s machinations would not separate them. Optimus promised his Seeker – the same things he always said. Nothing would keep them apart.


	4. "Lost Control" - Alan Walker

Optimus ducked a missile as he made his way through the weaving chaos towards Megatron's encampment. The Warlord had created a new cannon - or rather, Shockwave had created it and Megatron was taking credit. The Q-Beam was a massive gun that created a focused EMP charge which disrupted the spark without harming the frame as severely. That in itself wasn't terrifying. Death wasn't exactly unexpected. It was a war. But the charges the Q-Beam let off were deeply injuring and harder to shake off than a cannon's shot. Optimus had to get close and disable the Q-Beam installation. 

Megatron was laughing maniacally as he aimed the massive cannon at Optimus's Autobots. Optimus dropped down behind a ridge and looked up. It was just a short distance, relatively unprotected. A few Seekers overhead, but there was nothing he could do about that. Pushing himself up, he raced across the no-man's land, and leapt right on top of Megatron. 

The tyrant went down struggling with Optimus. Behind them, a Seeker landed on the Q-Beam installation and leaned against the gunning chair to watch the fight. It was hard for Optimus to see behind him, but he thought the seeker in question was tricolor. 

"Starscream, you fool! Attack the Autobots!" Megatron bellowed when he spotted his subordinate.

"Why? You seem to have things well in servo. After all, Shockwave's Q-Beam has made me and my Seekers obsolete." Starscream sassed his Commander while Optimus grappled with him. 

"Damn you, shoot Optimus Prime!"

"Very well, I'll give it a go." Starscream lined up a nullray. "Though you seem to be in the way." When he fired, he hit Optimus's leg and nailed Megatron right in the chassis.

"Starscream, you idiot!" Megatron bellowed as his limbs locked up.

"I did try to warn you, but it seems we've lost control here..." Starscream snickered as he dragged Megatron off and Optimus set a charge next to the Q-Beam.


	5. "Give Me a Sign" - Breaking Benjamin

Optimus counted his sparkbeats. The pulses of the Matrix in time with his own spark’s, in time with the quiet chime of the monitor. Stable, steady, but slow. He took a deep in-vent and held the next one, listening. It was always unnerving how… Quiet, the medbay equipment was. Normally, he considered it a blessing. The equipment couldn’t intrude on the healing process if it was hard to notice. Most of the patients commented on that. How quiet and soothing the medbay was to recharge in.

…But it was unnerving not to hear vents. Nor the shifting of plating against plating as a mech moved. How did Ratchet manage with life support patients? So silent and still…

Optimus reached out and gently took one, limp servo, pressing it to his lipplates. Starscream was deep in stasis lock. He wouldn’t remember these tense, quiet hours at all. If he remembered anything, it would be falling to earth in a long, free drop that ended in rocks and broken wings. 

And Optimus would be right here – waiting for him. Ready to shield him from the crashing trauma, the pain, anything. He would be ready for anything.

1, 2, 3… Sparkbeats began to synchronize with the life support chiming.


	6. "Red Cold River" - Breaking Benjamin

It had been such a small motion of the tyrant’s servos. Optimus kept coming back to that. A small, tiny motion. Nothing that could actually offline a mech. Starscream was just strained, that was all. Nerves pinched. Not offlined. 

Optimus raised himself to his pedes, clinging to the limp frame in his arms. His optics were offline and his helm dangled disturbingly. Optimus adjusted his hold at once to support that heavy helm. Where was Ratchet? In the confusion of the Decepticon retreat, he’d lost sight of the medic. 

“Ratchet!” He tried to bellow, but his voice box was fritzing with the emotions he was holding back. He settled for a distressed comm signal, hoping the Medic wasn’t busy. 

It was such a small motion… But such a loud noise… Optimus kept hearing it, ringing, in his audials. As Megatron twisted Starscream’s neck without effort, the snap of metal struts. Such a small motion… Not a movement wasted. He’d simply grabbed Starscream’s helm and shoulder vent and rotated his servo.

Optimus new what Starscream was risking every day when he went back to the Decepticons, when he continued to provide information. But he’d never appreciated… It had never…

It was such a small motion. A twitch of digits against Optimus’s chassis. Barely enough to be recognized. But it gave Optimus a little more hope, and that was enough to carry the heavy, limp frame over the ridge and to where Ratchet was working.


	7. No Song for This One

“This is unnecessary.” Optimus rumbled as he kept his eyes on Megatron, his controlling grip on the struggling, silver Seeker. “Release him, Megatron.”

“On the contrary, Optimus.” Megatron growled. “It is very necessary that I take back my second in command. But I might be willing to change my mind… If you begged for it.” He gave the Prime a nasty sneer, claws digging into Starscream’s cheekplates as he held the Seeker fast. Starscream struggled to be free as Optimus glared at the tyrant.

Pride. Pride might be one of the few sins he was truly guilty of. He’d stiffened his neck and lifted his head a few times when lowering it might have saved him a little pain. Megatron had never seen him on his knees, but he’d never been holding someone precious, ready to rip them in pieces like this before. 

The Prime dropped to one knee, opening his battlemask. There was a gasp from the onlookers – Bulkhead and Arcee – as Optimus quietly spoke: “Please. Release him, Megatron. Please.”

Megatron was just stunned enough for Starscream to aim one of his elbow spikes into a seam in the warlord’s armor, stabbing hard enough that the Seeker wrenched himself away and rolled to safety, coming up with both blasters and missiles out. 

On the disadvantage, Megatron was forced to call a retreat as Optimus picked himself up and put himself between his men and the ally they’d found in the former Decepticon.

He was very proud of them all.


	8. “1-800-273-8255” – Nightcore Deeper Version

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Suicide
> 
> A couple of years ago, my Uncle went out alone and took his own life. He suffered from PTSD and from mental illness. The worst part is, I never noticed anything. I was insulated from our family problems because of my age. I regret not knowing. I regret not being able to help.

Optimus took in a deep in-vent as he cruised along the beautiful, coastal highways in the Northeast. For once, his drive didn’t have a point. There were no Decepticons attacking a power plant or a military base. There would never be another alarm ringing out from Teletraan-1’s systems. The Nemesis would not be a dark, foreboding shadow over a human city. 

So why was he still here?

Optimus transformed on top of one of the scenic overlooks and stared out over the countryside. The trees rolled down to the coast, an unscarred view. His optics overlaid the ravaged views of Cybertron and he felt optical lubricant and clarified energon well up inside them. Never again. 

His comm twittered briefly, but it was just an alert from his own internals, telling him it was almost time for the evening strategy meeting. But there wasn’t an evening strategy meeting. He opened his alerts and started turning off the ones that he didn’t need anymore: About 90% of them. The only ones that posed any relevance were the alerts reminding him to intake energon at the proper times. And without meetings, attacks, and strategy, he wouldn’t need those either, he could intake whenever he felt like it. Nothing would interrupt him: They’d won. 

So why did he feel like they’d lost?

A jet’s engines sounded over his helm and Optimus felt his T-cog activate on reflex – transforming out an ion cannon he no longer needed. Ratchet already had an appointment on the books to remove his integrated weaponry. Would he also put away the hold-out weaponry in his subspaces? Or should he keep that in case this peace was only a temporary lull and he needed to fight on a dime?

Optimus looked up as a familiar tricolor jet came swooping in for a landing somewhere along the coast. Starscream. No wonder the sound of his jets had activated his battle reflexes. Optimus climbed down from the overlook and went looking for the Seeker. Perhaps a mental spar with the sassy jet would keep his melancholy thoughts back. 

Starscream was sitting on a boulder, pedes in the water, when Optimus came up beside him. His optics were focused on the horizon and he didn’t acknowledge the Prime’s approach except with a flick of his wings. In one servo, he held a vial of clear fluid and was flipping it into the air and catching it with practiced ease. Optimus waited for several minutes for the Seeker to say something unpleasant or teasing, but he was silent and seemed entirely absorbed with the waves and the skyline. “Knockout will throw a fit if he sees you letting saltwater into your crevices.” 

Starscream jumped and cursed aloud. He barely caught the vial before it shattered on the rocks beside him. “Fragging - ! Primus! Why the FRAG do you always sneak up on me?!”

Optimus frowned behind his mask and sat down beside Starscream. “My apologies. It was not my intention.”

Starscream waved it off and fisted the vial, looking back out at the horizon. “Whatever. I’m distracted. Perhaps it’s not your fault.” 

Optimus studied the Seeker. His posture was slumped over and curled down. Unlike his usual upright carriage. “…What are you doing out here?”

“Is it illegal to be sightseeing?” Starscream snapped waspishly. “If you’re here to make sure I’m not plotting something nefarious, you can rest your little helm: I have no intention to harm anyone.” He was still holding the vial. 

Optimus tried to read the glyphs on the side of the vial between Starscream’s servos. He could make out a few: “…Better… Victory… Live… Defeat…” Why did those words feel ominous? “What do you have there?”

The vial disappeared into subspace so fast Optimus didn’t see Starscream’s digits move. “Nothing. A fidget.” The Seeker spread out backwards, trying to put forward the illusion of confidence, but his wings were very low. “Why are you out here?”

“I was on a drive.” Optimus told him. 

“The Autobots let their exaulted Prime out from under their nasal vents alone when nefarious Decepticons are wandering the area? Prowl’s paranoia must be quieter than he’s letting on.”

“I often went for drives alone, even when we were actively at war. They helped to clear my processor and make tactically difficult choices. But if you’re offering to stay and protect me from any nefarious Decepticons, I would appreciate company.”

Starscream gave him a side glance that clearly asked if Optimus had lost his processor. “…Very well.”


	9. "Blown Away" - Carrie Underwood

Megatron had no time to gloat over the offlined frame of his fiercest enemy before a colorful streak of motion hit his optics and then physically hit his chassis. Starscream had flung himself bodily - fists first - into Megatron's chest. The Seeker was a mech possessed, optics lit with unholy fire as he laid into his so-called leader so brutally that it took Megatron off guard. For a few, precious seconds, he couldn't respond to the assault. Starscream buried his claws beneath Megatron's armor, tearing out wires and energon veins in his left shoulder. With a roar, the tank threw his second back. "What has possessed you, Starscream?!" He growled as he tried to aim his cannon at his Second, but Starscream was having none of it. He seemed utterly lost in his pain and rage. 

Megatron found he couldn't maneuver his left arm as well as he should, and so Starscream managed to get back within claw range in spite of his wildly-fired shots with the fusion cannon. He went straight for Megatron's optics, tearing at them like a mech possessed as Megatron tried to fend him off with his right arm. One of those claws came lethally close to his right optic and he formed a fist with his right servo and punched into Starscream's side armor - tossing him off again. With a severe energon leak, Starscream stumbled to his pedes and fired his thrusters, launching in an arc and releasing his missile cache at the same time. 

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" Megatron howled as missiles hit him and the surrounding reactor in random patterns. An alarm began sounding and the warlord began looking for an escape. Starscream was clearly out of his processor to use an explosive weapon in a nuclear power plant. "I order you: Cease this madness!" Before Megatron could turn towards the door, Starscream latched onto his back and began tearing at his helm and neck, actually prying off the heavy armor piece before Megatron could stop him. 

Megatron tripped over Optimus Prime's leg and fell down onto his enemy's chassis - dislodging Starscream. He whipped around and grabbed his left elbow with his right servo, aiming. Starscream was already getting back up, in spite of his injuries, and Megatron fired a carefully calculated shot aimed directly for his cockpit. Starscream dodged at the last second and one of his wings sheered off like a butterfly's, along with part of his chassis. Megatron saw sparklight. 

But the pain of losing a wing was nothing compared to the agony of losing a bondmate. 

Starscream launched back into Megatron and latched his claws - on both pedes and digits - into every crevice of armor, every seam, he could reach. He dug them in, searching for vital lines, vital wires, snapping, piercing, and scraping as he went through. He didn't even flinch as Megatron gripped the other wing and started tearing. As far as Starscream was concerned, he was already dead and all he could do to honor his mate's legacy was to make sure the mech who'd finished him was gone as well. 

And what better way to do that then to put the great slag-eater's spark straight into the reactor they'd been raiding?

Starscream caught a break when his claws found the locks on Megatron's armor and he cut them. His chassis plate fell away, forwards, revealing his internals. Still heavily protected, but much more vulnerable. At this range, Megatron couldn't bring his cannon to bear on Starscream, but Starscream had his null ray in prime position. With warnings flaring across his HUD, Starscream lined up a shot and took it - on as high a power setting as he could manage. 

Megatron's sea green spark imploded as Starscream's null ray overloaded its protections and bared it to the open air. He fell away from the Seeker, who wobbled on his pedes and began to fall backwards, landing on the greyed chassis of the Prime. Optimus's battlemask had been partially torn away from his faceplates, the expression on his lipplates peaceful, his optics dark. Starscream dragged himself up further onto his chassis and laid his helm down on the Prime's shoulder. With his consciousness fading, Starscream managed to send a command packet to the reactor control system - barely stopping the impending meltdown. 

Optimus wouldn't have been pleased if he'd let any humans be harmed.

Starscream's optics flickered and then died, grey begining to flood his armor, but just before he faded, one of his servos found one of Optimus's and linked them together, hanging on.


	10. "A Sky Full of Stars" - Coldplay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of Optimus Prime/Starscream week as hosted by Seeking-the-Stars on Tumblr. The prompt "Stars" fits in with Coldplay's song so well, I knew I could work it in here. Hopefully, I can find good songs for the rest of the prompts as well.

Optimus stared up into the endless night sky. On Cybertron, there was always too much light to really see the stars. Cybertron's living planet created its own glow - places of brilliance that outshone the sun. The cities were full of brilliant specks of light, why would anyone look up? And as the planet died, the power outs began to become constant, and the stars were finally visible... Their light was lost in the grief for his home. 

But here on Earth, he could see it. He felt he understood the human's constant counting, iterating each one. The unnumerable points of light above them as they made their way through their daily life.

...But one of the stars was moving. Too fast to be a normal plane, too looping and back-tracing to be a meteor coming into Earth's burning atmosphere. Optimus wondered, briefly, if he should activate his tac net, start up his battle protocols, call into the base for back-up. But Starscream was not the thorn he'd once been. After losing the Decepticons, he had nothing to fight for. He was simply surviving on this wonderful planet, flying beneath the stars. 

The Seeker must have found some energon if he was willing to waste energy on what was clearly a joy-flight. Flipping and spinning in the lights. Optimus imagined being able to see the Seeker more clearly - the thousands of points of light reflected off of mirror-bright polish, mirrored in silver plating. What expression would be on his face, as he transformed into free-fall and pulled up at the last moment to soar again - like a meteorite that never had to land, powered by a nova-bright spark.

Optimus sat down to watch as the Seeker danced and the stars danced with him.


	11. "Duel of the Fates" - The Phantom Menace

"This could be it." Starscream looked out over the battleground with a certain apprehension. "I can't decide if you're a hero or a fool for this, Optimus."

"I think some mix of both." Optimus looked down. Megatron and his Decepticons would be coming soon. It was the proverbial final hour. "Prowl certainly thinks I'm a fool."

Starscream's wings flared up towards the sky. "I know you're one. But since there's something of the fool in every hero..."

Optimus chuckled. "I should have expected that."

"You can take him." Starscream told the Prime. "You know all his weaknesses. But I'm afraid you won't finish him. You'll walk away, and he'll stab you in the back." The Seeker looked at him, a brutal honesty in his EM field. "If you can't finish him, none of this means anything."

"It's a duel. It doesn't have to end in death." Optimus stubbornly set his jawline. 

"...If you fall, it's over." Starscream stated plainly. "Without you, no one will have the spirit to continue to fight. One by one, we will be picked off. You know what that will mean."

"Megatron will show no mercy." Optimus stated equally plainly. "But I can't simply - "

"Why?" Starscream folded his arms. "I've seen you offline mechs before. You always claimed you had to then. That it was somehow different. But Megatron is the thing holding the Decepticons together and you refuse to put an end to him."

"You overestimate my abilities. When I have wounded soldiers to worry about, mechs to protect, and other aggressors to drive back, what am I to do about him? He's a formidable enemy."

"Don't let him walk away today, Optimus. Make an end. Let it all end."

"...You're afraid." Optimus stated softly. 

"Of course I am. I didn't want to say it, but you know what this means for me. He'll take me alive, Optimus. Or try to anyway. He'll want to make this slow for me. Really make me feel it. But if you fall..." Starscream shook his helm. "I'll die with you."

"Starscream - " Optimus looked away. "...And you call me the master of guilt trips."

"You are." Starscream stared back across the field. "A shame for you that I don't have that kind of feeling. And that I'm a quick learner."

Optimus ran a servo down his helm. "...One death to prevent so many more is a trap I don't want to walk into, Starscream."

"Then make sure he can't fight any longer." Starscream gave him a quiet stare. "Break him."

"That is worse."

"Then there's nothing anyone can do." The Seeker looked down. "...He's here."

"Starscream - "

"Don't say anything. Don't tell me it's going to be all right. Don't tell me you'll be fine or I'll be fine or that I can somehow escape whatever choice you're going to make today. Even if I could fly the reaches of the galaxy, I couldn't leave this behind." Starscream turned and began to walk down the mountain paths. "...Do what your conscience bids you, Optimus. But I have no intention of running from whatever comes today."

Optimus stared after the Seeker for a long moment. They disagreed on so many things. It was a constant of their relationship. But was he right? Or was he wrong? Was there no escaping this? Either way, the Prime couldn't keep the Devil waiting.


	12. "BFG Division" - DOOM Soundtrack

The gates of New Iacon behind them, Optimus led the guard team in repelling the new group of Terrorcons. The monstrous mechs wandering the planet were a mindless, constant threat to their fledgling city. A remnant of the horrors of their war. 

Starscream was whistling as he continued to target and fire on stragglers. “…And let loose the jets of war!” He and the remaining Decepticons had become a strict guard for the rest of the city: Working off their debt to society.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect you were enjoying this.” Optimus pointed out with a tint of humor. One of the terrorcons reached him and he slammed his sword into its helm, putting it on the ground.

“As if you’re not?” Starscream scoffed. “This might be the best thing Shockwave ever did!”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Optimus rumbled. “Besides, they’ll be gone soon. What will you do for fun then?”

“I’d worry more about yourself.” Starscream pegged another.

“This isn’t fun for me.” Optimus lied as he shot another terrorcon cleanly.

“Scrap, Prime. You love this as much as I do.” Starscream threw himself into a flip – plating shining in the sun as he cleanly spun and landed beside Optimus. 

Optimus didn’t want to admit he was right.

**Author's Note:**

> I post whatever titles will take you to the song on youtube. As a result, some of these may not be the artist and the title of the song, but the title of a video.


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